I look at pictures all day

Bah. It's a math question. Give me some time to dig out the right equations and crunch some numbers and I can tell you what kind of reach and range it'll have to have based on what kinds of satellites they want to hit. As long as you aren't trying to hit the really distant targets you comparatively don't need too much performance.

CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret

Bah. It's a math question. Give me some time to dig out the right equations and crunch some numbers and I can tell you what kind of reach and range it'll have to have based on what kinds of satellites they want to hit. As long as you aren't trying to hit the really distant targets you comparatively don't need too much performance.

I look at pictures all day

Yes, that's been stated various times. This is speculation, but logically it's going to have to be a big missile, meaning it will probably not be effective against something like an F-22A. An E-3, maybe, but anything more maneuverable is not going to represent a cooperative target.

CLEARANCE: Above Top Secret

Yes, that's been stated various times. This is speculation, but logically it's going to have to be a big missile, meaning it will probably not be effective against something like an F-22A. An E-3, maybe, but anything more maneuverable is not going to represent a cooperative target.

I look at pictures all day

Depends. You can use the same interceptor for the ABM and ASAT roles. If they're going to give it very long-range S/A capability as well, it'll probably incorporate the 40N6. If I had to guess, I'd say the ABM/ASAT interceptor would likely be related to one of the GAZELLE follow-on projects.

Beyond that, the TEL may be based on the S-400's 5P85T2, but the radar is not going to be able to be a GRAVE STONE modification, not if you're getting ABM and ASAT capability out of the system. Or, they could use a GRAVE STONE for S/A work, and link into the PILL BOX and BMEW systems for the rest of it. THere's also the Mars radar system, looks like a modular FBX-T, that has been mentioned WRT the S-500, that might be what they use for the ABM/ASAT role.

I look at pictures all day

Not dead, just gainfully employed! After I got hired I killed off the blog, and avoided a few forums until I figured out what and where I could participate without any sort of conflict of interest or whatnot.

sferrin said:

I take it then the 40N6 is not simply the standard sized S-400 "big missile" (48N6) flying a different profile but is instead a much larger missile? Any details you can spill?

Who knows. I still think that 40N6 being a misprint of 48N6 is possible, given that they got a 48N6 to 400 km during S-300PM testing. I've got a photo of an S-500 TEL with an ECS equipped, and given that there are two TELs in the above photos either a) one of them is for the 40N6, or b) they're two possible iterations that led to the S-500 TEL. Or c), they're totally speculative and any resemblance to the S-500 TEL is superficial. Current speculation is that the S-500 missile will draw on the 53T6/45T6, 40N6 on the 9M82.